Royal Duties
by Purplishous555
Summary: Brin has a lot settled on her shoulders regarding her ancestors and the fate of her beloved planet. What will happen when old enemies bring up new problems? Only one way to find out...
1. Chapter 1

Yet another sleep deprived night filled with conferences and board meetings. The four layers of clothing I'm wearing have begun to take its toll-especially on a planet known for it's desert heat. Keeping my royal posture perfect hasn't exactly helped the situation either. I suppose the slight suffering is worth it for my people in the long run, though.

General Solo has been droning on and on about our, "Need to take immediate action against the empire." For the past 6 hours and his rant doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon.. Though I applaud his attempts at persuading my court, he will not attain my people's lives for the sake of his unrealistic cause. Tatooine will never go back to the way it was before; filled with gangsters, murderers and traitors living in chaotic hell. My mother and I had worked too hard for too long only to simply hand our people over… My people, rather.

"We cannot keep going on in this war without more soldiers, and yous are the best." Spat Solo. I roll my eyes, "You forget, dear General, that my people are only the 'best' because of my families work for the past forty years to make them so. And even so, they we are far from soldiers, we are the protectors and the keepers of the force." I remark coldly, eyes now narrow.

Another huff from Solo makes this one number sixty-four since this seemingly endless meeting.

He looks at me eagerly, "My lady I do not wish to pry, but your people used to believe tha-"

"The Jedi may be protectors first and foremost, but not when they know many to all will die only to lose. Believe me, General, if I had the numbers and the equipment, not to mention positive odds towards the Senate, I would not hesitate to follow your suit. I however do not, and quite frankly have more important things to attend to at the moment." And with that, I stand and bow. Out of tradition, everyone in the room must do the same as I exit.

* * *

Finally, I reach my hall where I immediately remove the awful dress that had been suffocating me to near death. My handmaidens hand me my usual tan night robe and I already feel as if I was light as a feather.

As I sit in bed I hear a faint voice, "Will there be anything else, milady?" my assistant, Austa, asks me. I look at her and give a blissful smile, "No, Austra, that won't be necessary. I am content for the night and shall not need for any company until the morning, if you catch my meaning." I close my eyes and sink into my light blue sheets, already falling asleep more and more with every passing moment.

Austra says something in return, but by then I'm too far gone.

Over the past year, sleep had quickly become more of an indulging treat than any food or person could ever replace. Being a queen, I have trained myself to be content with four hours of sleep at the most. I honestly don't know how my mother tolerated royal duties for forty years without even slightly complaining. Then again, I've never really attempted to tell anyone of my suffering either.

My thoughts start to wonder from narration to action in slumber as my mind takes me to a grave place.

* * *

_My breath quickens. I can't reach her. I run faster and faster as she gets further and further away. I can't give up, giving up means failure of the worst kind. She's fighting for her life and losing. I can hear her pleading; screams of hurt and guilt uttered as if they were directed at me. _

_ I stop running. A sharp pain strikes my stomach, making vomit seem to be the only source of release. _

_The guilt and memory flashes as I see her dying face in front of me again. Her eyes look so distant as she tries to speak to me. _

_ I push harder and harder onto her stomach, trying to keep the blood inside until she vomits. I start to shake as she collects herself and looks at me, this time smiling, "This isn't your fault, Brin." She whispers. "Nor is it Jacon, he is only lost. Just as his grandfather was. Never forget that, my dear." I nod as to say that I understand, but inside we both know I blame myself an unfathomable amount. _

_With one last gaze into my eyes, she's gone. I scoop her up in my quivering arms and return her now lifeless body to the ship. As I gently set her down on the table, I mumble my last words to her. "I will never forget you, mother."_

As I awaken, I'm reminded of yet another reason to my lack of sleep. The heart aching nightmares that always occur.

To be continued...


	2. An Old Friend

"I'm surprised to see you here, General." I while gently sitting up in my bed, rubbing the blurry vision from my eyes.

He doesn't say anything for a moment or two, before moving from his place next to my balcony over to the painting of Master Kenobi. He look at the painting and smirks, "You try so hard to be like them, when the only reason they are so well known is because they were the only people who stayed true to themselves when everyone else hadn't." he turns to look at me, "Trust me, I learned a long time ago it's better not to think about the pressure of greatness and instead create a unique way of living up to expectations. That's what made them a legacy."

I look down grimly, eyes darkened. "How can I possibly even hope to live up to their standards. Everyone expects me to be as graceful and elegant as my mother while as cunning and confident as Master Kenobi. I have no room nor time to be myself and even if I did, Tatooine needs a Queen and someone to lead them; not a young girl finding her way in the world." I sit up and pour two glasses of water before walking over to Anakin and handing him one.

He takes the water, but doesn't break my gaze, "That's exactly what I mean, Brin. You used to be so happy; full of kindness and compassion and now all I get from you is a cold stare and morbid answers. I understand you have a lot to live up to, but you're acting as if you aren't your own person. You've become your public figure and I can see it destroying you." I clench and begin to shake as he grabs my shoulder to face him. "I know it's still hard to swallow everything you have to go through with you mother-" The anger starts to build in my blood before sense it boiling over.

I push his hands off of me with more force than I intended. "This isn't about me, Anakin! Kindness and compassion doesn't lead an entire planet, especially at a time of galactic war. I can't be my own person anymore because there is no person to be. I am the Head of the Jedi council, a Queen-not to mention a Senator and I've just been offered to be a General in a war that I can't bring myself to fight. Where in that line of titles can you possibly even think to fit 'regular ol Brin'? If you find a place, please tell me because I'd be happy to fit her in." The tears start to well up in my eyes and I struggle to keep them held behind my curtains. Anakin sighs, defeated. "I don't want to anger yo-"

"Oh it wasn't only the simple comment that enrages me, the nerve of you to come here and beg for my people lives and my service _then_ to tell me how to run my life in comparison to my families is what really set it in."

"**Will you just please, for the love of Force, just calm down and talk to me as if I were Anakin Solo instead of a General. There is no need to be so cold towards me right now, I'm not trying to attack you!**" He barked. Knowing Anakin, his use of a raised voice exhausted him, not to mention put a wave of guilt through his mind. Once he's calmed, I can see the tired look Ani always used to get when he was done with arguing. The dark circles under his eyes becoming more and more apparent with every passing moment. _He looks like he hasn't slept in days. _

Giving a defeated sigh, I stride over to my bed and sit down, putting a pillow over my stomach. _He doesn't deserve this right now, I might as well try.. _ He does not follow my foot, but turns to face in my direction.

"Okay." I take a deep breath and try to look as relaxed as possible. Stressing a laugh, I cross my legs to show discomfort before uttering, "So why are you here, Ani." without thinking. The Generals head snaps toward me in bewilderment, he obviously hasn't heard his old nickname in a long time. No one has called him Ani since Jacen left. _This is what happens when I try to act calm!_

I can tell he's over analyzing a simple nickname by the pale, pained expression written across his chiseled face. The usual face he gets when he's thinking about his brother. "I'm sorry, I know it's hard to think about him and I didn't mean to-"

"No." He states calmly, avoiding eye contact. "It's just a nickname." he whispers and looks at me. I nod sympathetically. After a few awkward seconds, Anakin physically shakes his daunting thoughts from the front of his mind and finally answers my earlier question, "I was worried about you, so I came to see if you were okay… You just seem so stressed lately and I thought I try to talk to you and cheer you up… Some job I did, ehh?" He playfully nudges me, now standing next to me. I giggle loosely, the sound of my own laughter sounds alien to me and it surprises me a tad.

"Ahh, so I didn't do _that_ bad of a job after all! Well your majesty, I think a celebration is in order!" Anakin sarcastically announces, "It's not every day one witnesses the great Queen of Tatooine _giggle_."

My laughter increases into a slight chuckle before sticking my tongue out. His eyebrows raise and a sly smile slides across his face, "Why milady! How dare you have the audacity to show me such an inappropriate gesture! I am truly hurt." He grabs his heart and I lightly tap his arm. _i've forgotten how easy this is… I never realized how happy and calm he made me before!_

"You're one to talk _General_. In a Queen's dormitory without authorization, how bold." I'm a bit shocked by _my_ sudden boldness in both action and witty remarks. _You get it from the Kenobi side…_ As mother used to say.

"I haven't been kicked out yet, have I." Anakin sits down on the bed, making himself as comfortable as he possibly can. "Well it's not as if you gave me much of an option, it's either talk to you and keep you alive or call the guards and have a hanging before breakfast." He gulps at the thought and awkwardly sits up.

"You are too kind for not making that a reality." Shifting slightly, he tries to change the subject as quickly as possible. "I've missed you, Brin. We all have... Especially Uncle Luke. He says that Master Kenobi frequently speaks-" I gasp lightly, eyes widening at the mention of his name. "- of you and is proud of what you have done. Uncle wants to speak with you as soon as you find the room in your schedule. I know you don't have the time at the moment, but I think it's importa-"

"Anything for Master Skywalker. Usually he has medium conversations between Master Kenobi and me. It helps me think, in a way; To know I'm in the same room with him and somewhat speaking with him. It helps me feel more connected with my training in the Force." I look at his picture and smile with pride. _If only I could speak with him in real life. Sometimes I think I can hear him guiding me, but I'm pretty sure that's my mind playing tricks on me-he only gives advice to Master Skywalker. _

"I know what you mean. Sometimes just speaking to Uncle helps me to focus when my attention has withered away along with my patience. I'm pretty sure my grandfather is there speaking with him as well. To know I'm related to him is oddly a blessing and a curse, but it still helps… Does that make sense? I'm going crazy, aren't I-"

"No. I completely understand." I whisper. Which is true, I suppose. For many reasons, I despise my mother for not trying harder to live. For giving me an entire planet at the age of sixteen and not even bothering to visit me through the Force. I know she can, Master Skywalker told me he trained her in the ways of connection, but she doesn't use it. Do I not deserve to hear her again? That's a question that's been frequently finding it way to the front of my mind for the past few years. A good Jedi pushes past such resentment and anger, though, it's not healthy to dwell.

"I know you do. Which is why he wishes to speak with you, I think. He can sense your distress and says he may have some answers for you. You know where to find him when the time is right, just get your head straightened out a bit first."

I nod, not wanting to take what he says in a negative way and sense Austra approaching. _Not good._ "I'm sorry General, but our conversation will have the further during the meeting tonight. I have duties to attend to at the moment regarding the future of my people, so if you will please allow me to prepare myself for the day.."

"Say no more, milandy." Anakin smiles and bows before exiting the room, my eyes following him until I can no longer see him. Austra, obviously seems to notice due to her knowing smile. I roll my eyes, "Oh shut up."


End file.
